Diamonds & Pearls
by Scott Wolf
Summary: Someone from the Gems' past returns, causing old wounds to open again. Some StevenxConnie, but mostly a drama.
1. Chapter 1

"Pearl, do you have any family?"

An innocent enough question, asked while folding shirts next to the washer and dryer high atop the Gem Temple. It was a warm spring day, and the weather could not be better. Seagulls glided on the wind, calling to each other. Steven Universe had been watching them for a few minutes, seated on the teleport pad as Pearl finished the laundry. She regarded him as she put the clothing into a basket. Her hesitation brought Steven's head around to look at her.

"Why would you ask that, Steven," Pearl finally said.

"Well, I was just curious," the boy replied. "I mean, I have a dad. Rose Quartz was kinda my mom. And I know Gems are created in the earth. But what about brothers and sisters? Cousins? Aunts and uncles and creepy old grandparents and that one family member no one ever mentions out of shame?"

Pearl blinked, and then laughed lightly. "Oh, Steven! You have the strangest ideas sometimes." She sat down next to him and looked out over the water. "Since we are born in a planet's crust, we don't have what you would consider mothers or fathers. But sometimes two Gem seeds will be planted together by accident, and will grow alongside each other. And when they emerge, those two Gems will have a relationship much like human siblings. It's pretty rare though, and such siblings often separate. But they do stay connected to each other in a metaphysical way."

"Metawhosit," Steven asked, confused. "What's that?"

"Metaphysical," the Gem corrected gently, turning her head to look at him. "It means they stay in touch in more than a physical sense. It's as if they only need to think about their sibling, and they'll know if they're alright or not."

"Like Garnet's future site," Steven said with a nod.

"Sort of." Pearl turned away from him again to stare longingly out over the ocean. "I think of Garnet, Amethyst and you as my family, but I don't have that kind of connection with any of you. It's something that runs... so much deeper..."

She paused, and Steven wondered what she was thinking. "Pearl? Are you alright?"

Pearl gazed at the horizon for a few more seconds before sighing, then stood up. "Come on, Steven. Let's get this laundry put away, then it's time for training. Connie should be here soon." She picked up the basket and rejoined Steven, who had stood and was waiting on the pad. They both teleported down into the temple, and Pearl handed him the basket. "Come to my room when Connie gets here. We have a busy day ahead of us." She then turned and walked toward the multidimensional door that served as access to the Gems' rooms.

"Pearl?" She stopped just inside the door and looked back at him. "Did you have a sibling?"

"No," Pearl replied, her voice hard and cold, and the door sealed shut.

Steven stood there for a moment, scratching his head, then walked to his loft to put away his clothes. _Pearl was acting sort of weird there. I wonder..._ The door opening interrupted his thought process and he turned to see Connie step inside, sword tied across her back and a gym bag over her shoulder.

"Hey, Steven," she said happily, waving to him.

"Hi, Connie," he replied and descended the stairs. "Want a munchie before we go in?"

"Oh, absolutely yes," Connie replied, setting her sword and bag on the coffee table. "I forgot to make myself lunch before I left. My parents were being weird again." She joined Steven in the kitchen as he made them some jam biscuits. She opened the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of juice, then grabbed a pair of glass cups and filled them. "Man, it's almost like I live here lately."

"I don't mind," Steven replied as he brought over the snack. "We get to be Jam Buddies every day! Who could not want that?"

Connie laughed and took a biscuit. "Some crazy person, maybe." She bit into the jam-coated biscuit and chewed contently. She then noticed that Steven had gone silent for a moment. "Is everything alright, Steven?"

Steven stared at his jam biscuit for a minute. "I think Pearl has a sibling."

"You mean like a sister?"

"Yeah. I asked her if she had any family members today. She said no, but the way she said it..."

"Maybe she died in that big war you told me about. I can't imagine how it would feel to lose someone like that."

"Maybe..."

* * *

"Connie, your form is excellent," Pearl said as she watched her spar with a hologram Pearl. "But keep your eyes on your opponent. They will take advantage of any distraction."

Connie nodded and moved in to attack. Steven, meanwhile, had rolled away from his own opponent, having ducked underneath it's sword. His own swung out and caught the hologram on the calf, cutting right through and toppling it. It burst into pixels and disappeared as he stood with a triumphant grin, then raced over to block a swing Connie wouldn't be able to block. His shield knocked away the sword, giving her the opening she needed to dart in and skewer the hologram, bursting it as well. She looked back at Steven and grinned as well. It may have been hard work and left them sweaty, but she couldn't help but feel pride for her growing skill and her partnership with this strange yet fun boy. They high fived as Pearl walked over, clapping proudly.

"Well done, you two. You've both really improved since Steven joined. I'll have to put you against fifteen next time."

"And we'll beat 'em down too," Steven exclaimed raising his sword and formed shield over his head. Connie joined him, saying, "Because Jam Buddies are unbeatable!"

"Well, whatever Jam Buddies are, you've both earned a few days off from training. We'll start up again next week. For now, let's return to the temple. You both need a shower."

As they stepped off the teleport pad at home, Connie's phone began buzzing. She stepped away from the others to answer as Pearl and Steven sat down on the couch. Steven looked at Pearl for a moment before speaking. "Uh, Pearl?"

"What is it, Steven?"

"I'm sorry I upset you earlier, with the whole sibling talk thing."

Pearl blinked. "Upset me? Why do you think I was upset?"

"Well, you kinda slammed the door when you went into your room."

"Steven, that's physically impossible."

"I know, I know, it's not actually a door you can slam. But the way you acted there was kinda... telling."

Pearl stared at him for a moment, then turned her body and hugged him. "I'm sorry I worried you, Steven. I should know better than to try to keep things from you. You're a smart boy, despite how you act sometimes. And sometimes I can forget that."

Steven hugged her back. "It's okay. Sometimes I forget too." They both had a laugh and pulled apart just as Connie walked back into view, still talking on her phone.

"No, mom, I'm not ready to come home... Because I'm doing something with Steven... Of course it's not dangerous... It's just a something... Because I should get to have privacy too! I'm a teenager! We like to do things without our parents being involved!"

Pearl and Steven glanced at each other worriedly as Connie practically yelled into the phone.

"I'll be home before nine alright? ...I'll having dinner with Steven, obviously. Did you think I just wouldn't eat? ...Because you said nine was curfew! We talked about it this morning before I left! Why do you always do this? I'm a big girl! I can take care of myself! And I'm with Steven and Pearl! Do you really think they'd let anything happen to me? Ugh!" She mashed the call end button, then threw her phone across the room just as Amethyst and Garnet teleported in. It bounced off of Amethyst, who fell backwards with a yelp, and stuck in Garnet's hair.

"Hey! What the heck?"

"Ohmigosh! Sorry Amethyst! I didn't mean to!"

"Your parents" Garnet asked, plucking the phone from her hair an handing it back to Connie. Amethyst stood up rubbing her forehead.

"Yeah," Connie replied, looking down at the floor for a minute before meeting Garnet's gaze again. "They're so nosy! They've been calling nearly every hour to check on what I'm doing! It's drivingme crazy!"

"They're just worried about you," the large Gem said as she sat down on the couch. "They want you to be safe."

"But they know I'm safe! I'm with you guys!"

"Dunno if you've noticed, Connie," Amethyst quipped as she flopped down on a cushion on the floor. "But we don't exactly have the safest job. If I was your parents, I'd be worried too."

"Yeah, but..."

"They're just being parents," Pearl said. "It makes them feel better knowing what you're doing."

Connie sighed and sat down next to Steven. "Yeah, I know. I just wish they'd back it off a bit is all."

Seeing an opportunity to change the subject, Steven looked to Garnet. "How did your search go?"

Garnet looked up at Pearl before replying. "It was alright..." On the floor, Amethyst pointedly looked at the ceiling.

Pearl noticed. "Did you run into Peridot?"

"Not exactly," Amethyst said.

"Then, what?"

"Not in front of the kids," Garnet said, looking away.

"It's okay," Steven said as he stood up. "We need to go shower anyway."

Connie grabbed her bag and followed him out the door. "Wonder what that was about," she said as they walked down to the beach.

* * *

The pair made their way around the cliff side to where the beach showers were set up. During the summer, they'd be in constant use from the tourists and beach goers. But the rest of the year, only Steven used them. The building was fairly large, and was sectioned off for male and female users. The dividing wall, however, didn't go all the way up to the ceiling, so talking to someone on the other side wasn't hard when the place was empty.

"What do you think they found," Connie yelled over her shower.

"I dunno, but I hope it's something interesting! Maybe a real live Dogcopter!"

"That would be cool! Or a warehouse filled with Cookie Cat sandwiches!"

"Aww why'd you have to mention Cookie Cat? Now I really want one..."

They chatted more while they finished their showers, and met up again outside. They were about to start back to the temple when a man called out to them.

"Excuse me," he said as he caught up to them. I'm looking for the Gem Temple. Is that around here somewhere?"

Steven looked him over. He was tall and strong looking, but at the same time looked agile and flexible. He wore a light Hawaiian shirt over a black undershirt with some sort of design, and denim shorts that looked a bit baggy. Black work boots covered his feet and his hands wore a pair of fingerless gloves, the right one looking like it had an actual diamond sewn into the fabric. A pair of blue tinted goggles rested just below his very light blonde hair, finishing off his look.

"It's right around the corner," Steven replied. "What business do you have with the Gems?"

"Just visiting old friends," the man said with a smile. "We go way back."

"Well, we're heading there now," Connie said. "We can walk you there."

"I appreciate it," he replied, and they set off.

"How long have you known the Gems?"

"Years and years. We've had many adventures together. Though, we kind of parted on bad terms last time."

"And you're hoping to make up with them then?"

"You got it, kid." The group rounded the corner and came into view of the carving that made up the cliff face. The man whistled as he looked up at it. "Man, that is a sight."

"You've never seen it before?"

"Nope. Saw a few pictures, but never in person."

Pearl could be seen standing on the balcony. "Hey Pearl," Steven yelled. "We brought a friend!"

Pearl looked down with a smile. That turned into a snarl. She leapt off the deck, forming her spear as she dove at the man, a war shout tearing from her throat. The man shoved the confused children out of the way before back flipping away from Pearl's impact.

Steven and Connie collected themselves, coughing as the dust and sand settled, and looked over to see the man wielding a brilliant curved sword in each hand, both holding Pearl's spear at bay. Pearl pushed against him, gritting her teeth. "Diamond!"

The man, Diamond, grinned at her. "Hello, Pearls. Miss me?"


	2. Chapter 2

"What are you doing here, traitor?"

The words spat from Pearl's mouth with a palpable vehemence. She shoved her spear hard down against his swords, working its blade further toward her opponent's face. He, on the other hand simply smiled. It wasn't a villainous smile by any means, and both Steven and Connie could tell he wasn't actually trying to overpower her but merely holding her at bay.

"Pearl, come on," Diamond replied. "The war's over. You can end the charade."

"You were the charade," Pearl yelled back. "You left us right when we needed you most! You left me!"

"What? What're you-"

Pearl pulled back and took a swipe a this midsection. He easily blocked it. She twirled and stabbed, and he parried. She feinted and he countered. To Connie and Steven it was almost a blur of movement in perfect synchronization. Cut and parry, sweep and block, lunge and dodge. The sound of steel hitting steel. They seemed to be able to go on forever.

It was starting to scare Steven how furious Pearl had suddenly become.

"Pearl!"

The dark shape of Garnet descending forced both combatants to leap away as the large Gem slammed into the sand. As the dust cleared, Pearl saw that Garnet knelt between her and Diamond. "Move, Garnet," she demanded. "I can take him myself!"

"No," Garnet replied. "You can't. And you won't."

"He's a traitor," Pearl cried. "He deserves to die!"

"Holy..." Diamond stood slowly, his swords fading back into his hands. "She didn't... Garnet, why didnt-"

"A lot of things didn't go according to plan," Garnet replied immediately. "You should have realized that when we weren't there to pick you up."

"Obviously," Diamond said, exasperated. "But this?"

"Garnet," Pearl said, her anger fading slowly into worried confusion. "Stop talking to him! You know his way with words!"

"It's Rose's words you should be hearing," Garnet said as she stood. "And you should have heard them a long time ago. Put your weapon away."

"But... No! He's-

"I said put it away! Now!" Pearl, now in complete worry and confusion, lowered her spear and let it slip back into her gem. "Everyone inside. I'll explain there."

Pearl didn't move, still glancing between Diamond and Garnet. Finally Steven took her hand. She flinched and looked down at him, then let him lead her inside, with Connie right behind them. Garnet and Diamond began to follow a minute later.

"I'll do most of the talking," Garnet said as they started up the ramp.

"You're the boss," Diamond replied, earning a smile from the larger Gem. "Been a while since you heard that, huh?"

"Too long," she replied. "It's good to have you back."

* * *

"What do you remember," Garnet began, "of Diamond's betrayal?"

Pearl, a cup of tea in her hands, sighed and began to remember. Steven and Connie sat in the kitchen with Amethyst, the humans nibbling on popcorn, Amethyst nibbling on the bag.

"I remember... Him disappearing the night before the assault on Shattered Ridge. I remember attacking a prepared defense instead of a surprised one. And I remember looking toward the ridge as we retreated, and seeing Diamond standing beside General Topaz. I remember the rage I felt..."

"General Topaz was dead within a week," Garnet said, surprising Pearl before she could delve back into fury. "We assaulted that ridge again later and took it. Diamond made that possible."

"What? But I thought..."

"I was an assassin, Pearls," Diamond said from where he stood near the door. "I had to get close to her, so I told her about the coming attack."

"Unfortunately," Garnet continued, "Diamond wasn't able to gain Topaz's trust before the battle. He could only watch as we were pushed back. It took him four more days to be trusted, and another two to have an opportunity. Afterward, he sent us a signal to pull him out. An ambush delayed the extraction party, and we had to rush to get to him. Only, they found him first. We saw him being dragged away in chains."

Pearl digested the information quietly, but everyone could see the turmoil inside her. "If that's true, then he should be dead. Or he should have escaped and rejoined us. Where was he?"

Garnet looked to Diamond, who looked to Pearl. "They had me in a destabilization field one that would send me to back into my gem every few hours. I didn't have time to plan anything, much less try to escape. Had to wait till the new commander came to gloat at me before I had my chance. But by then..."

"We were long gone," Garnet finished.

"Afterward," Diamond continued, "I tried to find you, but by the time I caught up the last battle was over. Geode told me I wouldn't be welcome anymore. Apparently, Rose hadn't told you or anyone the truth. So I went into hiding."

"Not even the extraction team knew who we were supposed to pick up," Garnet said. "No one else knew Diamond's mission. I knew, because I was in on the plan from the beginning."

"Then why didn't Rose Quartz tell me? Why didn't _you_ tell me?" Pearl glared at Garnet. Garnet gazed back.

"Because she needed you angry. You were so dedicated after Diamond was gone. You gave your all. You gave too much. But few could stand against you. Rose needed that, loathe though she was to use it." Garnet removed her eye cover, reached over and delicately put her hand on Pearl's leg as she looked directly into Pearl's own eyes. "I don't know why she never told you. I don't know why I didn't. Everything was so chaotic at the end, with the Home world loyals leaving and us trying to pick up the pieces... It just got lost in the jumble. I'm sorry, Pearl. I truly am."

Pearl set her cup on the table, stood, and walked out the door.

"Pearl! Wait!" Steven tried to chase after her, but Amethyst grabbed hold of his arm.

"No, Steven. Let her go. She'll be back when she's ready."

"Yeah but..." He sat down next to the door, his good humor completely gone now. "I don't understand."

"I need to talk to her," Diamond said. "She'll listen to me, even if she hates me."

"She never hated you," Garnet said as she put her cover back on. "She was hurt. Hurt deeply. But she didn't hate you. Now I think she's even more hurt by Rose's actions."

"Doesn't matter. I'm the only one who can get through to her now." He turned to leave, then stopped and snapped his fingers. He then turned to Steven and held out his hand. "Pure Diamond."

Steven looked up, then smiled and shook his hand. "Steven Universe. That's my friend Connie."

"Hello," Connie said with a wave.

"Pleasure. Back in a bit." With that he walked out the door.

"So who's Geode?" Connie asked.

"Second in command to Rose. Tried to take over after the war, didn't work out. Smashed and gone now," Garnet stated plainly.

"Yeesh."

"Diamond is Pearl's sibling, isn't he," Steven asked, looking over at Garnet.

Garnet smiled. "Pearl's right. You really are smart." Despite how he felt, Steven smiled too.

* * *

Pearl sat at the edge of the water, looking dejectedly as it approached and retreated. She idily poked holes in the wet sand, watched them fill with water, then slowly fade with the tide. _Why? Why would Rose keep that from me after it was done? She had plenty of opportunities to say something. Anything!_

The crunch of sand brought her out of her stupor. She didn't turn, but continued to stare at the tideline.

"Hey." Diamond sat himself down behind her and crossed his legs. "If you want to hit me, do it without a blade, alright?"

She didn't respond, so he scooted a little closer. "I missed you, sis." A pause, then he continued. "I didn't know Geode just wanted me out of the way. You know I would have come back." She again remained silent, and he sighed and scooted next to her. "It was so hard, staying away. I had to revert to gem to keep from running back. Buried myself in a canyon for a few hundred years. Then some humans came and dug out the canyon. Sold me to another human for a big bag of gold, or so the shopkeeper said when I reappeared. After that, I wandered around the world. Helped people when I could, defended them when I had to, killed when necessary... I hated that. I've never enjoyed killing. Fighting I love but killing? There's no rematch or redemption in a corpse."

Pearl pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Diamond looked at her expectantly, but when she made no noise, he continued. "I remember once I was wandering a big forrest. I came across a stone building almost as tall as the temple. A castle. By then I knew how the human world operated, so I went in and offered my services. The ruler took my offer but demanded I swear to some god thing on a book that I would serve him loyalty and unquestionably. I humored him and did, and everything was fine for a bit. Turned out his guards didn't share my sense of honor. I caught a few trying to force themselves on a young woman. Would you believe they offered me a turn? Those three I didn't feel bad about killing..." He looked at Pearl for a reaction, but received none.

"When I brought the fourth to the king, he charged me with treason and assault on the King's men... He was another I didnt feel bad about. Especially after what the queen told me he'd done. I won't go into it." Diamond leaned back and rested on his arms, staring up at the sky. "I had a lot of adventures in that country."

Pearl let out a sigh, then finally spoke. "I always knew you were alright. I... I thought about you all the time. Even when I was busy doing other things or didn't want to... Our connection stayed strong, even... even when I didn't want to know you existed anymore. I tried to block it out and break it, but... I always knew."

Diamond said nothing, letting her talk. She needed to vent her bottled up feelings, even if they were jumbled and confused. So he sat and listened. And when she stopped, he waited. There wasn't really anything he could say.

"So..."

"Hmm?" He looked over and noticed she was looking at him.

"So... you were a real knight."

Diamond grinned and scooted closer, right up until his hip rested on hers. "Yep. Suit of armor and everything. Only wore it for special occasions, though. Thing got so warm inside."

"But you killed your leige. How can a knight do that and still consider themselves a knight?"

"There's more to being a knight than just serving a lord. Sure, fealty and loyalty are a big part of it, but a real knight owes his loyalty to the people. As does any lord or king worth his crown. That first king wasn't a true king. He was just someone with too much power and not enough empathy for his people. The queen was a much better ruler afterward. She was loved by the people, and I was proud to serve her."

Pearl looked back at the tide. It had gone further out, and the sand around them was nearly dry now. "I always thought a knight's duty was to protect her lord to the death, that her life meant nothing in comparison."

"Where'd you hear that? Sounds kinda messed up, doesn't it?"

"Yeah... It really does..."

Diamond stayed silent a few minutes, then, as he knew she would, Pearl asked, "Where else have you been?"

He grinned again. "Well there was another place called Japan. Have you ever heard of a samurai?"

* * *

Several hours later

* * *

Steven took one more drink of milk before putting the container back in the fridge. He and Lion had dropped Connie off right at nine, for which her parents were grateful. They'd then apologized to her, and to Steven for doubting he and the Gems could keep her safe. Now, he was ready for some sleep. But before climbing into bed, he had to check one more thing.

Stepping out quietly onto the deck, he walked to the railing and looked down. From there he had a fine view of Pearl leaning on her brother as he told her about his time in a place called Bastogne. She seemed better now, so he returned to the house. As he closed the door quietly behind him, he noticed Garnet sitting on the couch.

"Everything alright," she asked.

"Yup," he replied. "Seems like it's gonna work out okay."

"Good. Siblings should stick together."

"Can't break up a pair," Steven agreed as he sat down next to her and she put her arm around him. He couldn't help but snuggle into her side. "Hey Garnet?"

"What?"

"Are Ruby and Sapphire sisters?"

"No," she replied. "But they were raised and trained together. They've known each other all their lives, and have hardly ever been apart. So in a way, yes. They actually are sisters. Just not siblings."

"It must be nice, having a sister. Or a brother."

Garnet rubbed his hair gently. "Yeah. It really is."


	3. Chapter 3

"So, why are you a guy?"

A week had passed since Diamond had returned. It turned out that all those years of wandering around had made him a nice bit of a fortune. After the Vietnam conflict, he'd come back to America to start a non profit company dedicated to helping anyone in need. Putting nearly all of his wealth into the company, he'd supported injured veterans and their families, homeless people and burned out hippies. Within several years, he'd been awarded several humanitarian awards as well as the Nobel Peace award. Donations poured in from a thousand different sources, and every penny of it went to helping people. By the 1990's, Diamonds For The Helpless had branched out worldwide, and the President of the United States had allocated a budget to them of $500 million dollars annually to never be cut by Congress.

As the new millennium hit, Diamond stepped down as chairman and left the company. He knew it would be in good hands, so he began to wander again. He bought a car and travelled around the Americas, helping where he could and doing as he'd always done. Fifteen years and three cars later, he finally used most of the last of his money. He'd been in Keystone heading north when he literally stumbled upon Garnet and Amethyst, which led to his finding the temple. A few phone calls had his storage-held belongings on the way to his new home.

Now he and Steven sat watching Crying Breakfast Friends (which he really didn't understand despite his knowledge of humans), when the boy had turned to him and asked the question.

"Wow, random much," he chuckled.

"All the other Gems I've met have been girls," Steven went on. "Why aren't you?"

"Easy answer, I wanted to be one so I became one," Diamond replied. "Deeper answer, I wanted to be different. When Pearl and I were young and just learning how to be Gems, I noticed the same thing you did. So, I let Pearl beat me during a practice fight, dove on her sword, and remade myself."

"Just like that? No complex back story with a troubled dillema leading to a sudden brash action that forced you to take the shape you inhabit today, forever altering your view of life and the world around you?"

"Gods, no," the Gem laughed. "What do you think this is, a kids cartoon? Although, Pearl is still miffed that I 'let' her win."

"Fair enough." The show ended and Steven stretched his arms over his head. "So. Wanna go check out Beach City? We could ride Lion."

"As cool a cat as he is," Diamond said with a grin, "I prefer to ride something with a little more... horsepower."

* * *

SUPER COOL TRANSITION

* * *

Beach City had seen its fair share of bizarre and special things. Few, however, could top the sight of an exotic Italian sports car cruising through town. While people stared, often longingly or jealously, at the ocean blue beauty, the sight of Steven Universe leaning out the window hooting as it powered down the mostly empty roads definitely made quite a few heads turn.

"Alright, Steven," Diamond said, pulling the boy back into the seat. "Put your seatbelt back on. You've done enough grandstanding."

"Y'know, I never would have expected a Gem to ride around in a car this flashy."

Diamond laughed. "I may be a true knight, but that doesn't mean I don't deserve to reward myself every so often." He punctuated his sentence by stepping on the gas hard, the acceleration pushing Steven a bit deeper into the seat as the V12 engine behind them gave a throaty roar and pushed them faster down the road.

Their showboating done with, they parked near the boardwalk and made their way on foot to the donut store. Sadie greeted them with her usual enthusiasm.

"Heya Steven! What can I getcha?"

"The usual, of course," Steven smoothly replied, then turned to Diamond. "This is the best donut store in Beach City."

"By virtue of being the _only_ donut store in Beach City," Sadie quipped as she retrieved two donuts and slid them into a bag. "So who's your friend?"

"Sadie!"

Everyone turned to see Lars standing in the doorway, breathing hard.

"Lars? Are you alright?"

"Never mind that," Lars replied jogging over to the counter. "I just saw the most awesome car driving through town! It was a Farerrio! And it was blue! And it made an awesome VRUUUUMMMMMM!" Sadie just smiled nicely. She'd never seen this side of her partner/crush before.

"Wow," Diamond said offhandedly. "Sounds like a nice machine."

"Nice?" Lars turned and glared at the stranger. "The coolest vehicle to come to our city ever and you call it nice?"

"Like cars, do ya," the Gem asked with a smile, and Steven couldn't help but giggle a bit. He'd seen a similar routine already when Diamond had been introduced to his dad and music had been mentioned, thus unveiling for the world Diamond's love of rock and cementing a place in Greg Universe's heart.

"This wasn't just a car," Lars retorted. "This was Italian engineering at it's finest! Six hundred and sixty horsepower, zero to sixty in three point four seconds, eight miles to the gallon in town and twelve on the open road. Named for the founder of Farerrio himself! Very few can hold a candle to the Ezra!"

"I suppose you're right. Guess I'll have to give you a ride in it someday." Diamond twirled the keyring on his finger, the Farerrio pegasus emblem clearly visible on one of the keys. Lars' jaw dropped, causing Steven to bubble over with laughter. Diamond, for his part, merely smirked as he headed for the door. "Come on, Steven. There lots more city to see!"

"Bye Sadie, bye Lars," Steven said as he followed Diamond out. As the door closed, Sadie could no longer contain herself and fell over laughing. Lars simply stared out the door at the retreating forms, his brain completely fried.

* * *

Wavy transition lines, man!

* * *

Steven and Diamond wandered all over town, steven pointing out places and things at random, linking them with a short anecdote. Diamond looked about contentedly, truly interested in the stories the boy told him. At the arcade, Diamond won a medium sized walrus doll in a crane game, which he gifted to Steven as "payment for escort duties rendered as befitting a noble and valiant knight." Steven took the doll with great reverence, then was instantly distracted by the next stop on their trip.

They returned home sometime later, the entirety of the city canvassed. Pearl awaited them on the deck.

"Steven," she said reproachfully. "You missed practice today."

"Sorry, Pearl," Steven replied. "We kinda lost track of time."

"My fault, Pearls," Diamond said. "He was showing me the town and we got lost in it, chronologically speaking."

Pearl looked the two of them over the way a teacher would look at rambunctious pupils, then sighed. "Well, I suppose one missed lesson isn't going to set you back too far. Just don't let it happen again."

"I won't," the boy replied. "Is Connie still here?"

"In the kitchen." Steven grinned and ran past her. Diamond stood beside Pearl and watched him run in shouting his friend's name.

"He's a good kid. Reminds me a lot of Rose. When he can stay focused, that is."

"He does get distracted at times," Pearl agreed. "But he's got a big heart and tries to do the right thing."

"Heh. A little knight, indeed."

* * *

...what? Expected something interesting? I'm just cutting to inside.

Sheesh they can't all be cool.

* * *

"He has a sports car," Connie asked.

"An Italian sports car," Steven clarified.

"Wow... That's cool right?"

"I dunno, but it was fun to ride in. And i think it broke Lars' mind. What did I miss today?"

"Nothing major," Connie replied, taking a sip of juice. "Really it was just a review to be sure I hadn't forgotten anything with our week off."

"I wish you could have come with us, Connie. It was so much fun when he stepped on the gas and we went faster! I felt like I was on a really fast rollercoaster."

The teleport pad lit up and Garnet and Amethyst appeared. "We would have had her if not for her crazy helicopter fingers," the purple Gem was saying.

"Next time, I'll have to throw you higher," Garnet said as they stepped off the pad.

"Ran into Peridot, I assume," Pearl asked as she and Diamond came inside.

"Almost caught her," the red Gem replied with a nod. "We need to find a way to counteract that flying trick she has."

"We tried throwing me, but Peridot just dodged," Amethyst said with a huff.

"Where was she,"Diamond asked. Garnet went over to the captured escape pod and pressed a few buttons. A map appeared and she pointed at it.

"Here, in England near an old ruin."

"Didn't look like much either," Amethyst said. "Just some big stone slabs stacked in a circle."

"I wonder what she wanted there," Pearl said, looking at the map thoughtfully.

"Whatever it was, she didn't get it," Garnet said with a bit of satisfaction.

"Then she'll be back," Pearl said with a nod, then looked at Garnet and Amethyst. "You two should rest. You look tired."

"Pearl and I can go back and watch for her," Diamond said.

"Oooh! Can we come with?"

Diamond looked down at Steven and Connie, who both looked back with puppy dog eyes. He looked at the other Gems for an answer.

"It should be alright," Garnet said with a nod. "Steven's dealt with Peridot before."

"And I suppose now is as good a time as any for Connie to start field training," Pearl said in agreement.

"But stay close to each other and us."

"We will," both kids replied in unison.

* * *

The pad they landed on was dirty beyond belief. It was night time, so their eyes took a moment to adjust. Diamond stepped off the pad and looked around.

"Stonehinge," he said. "Ancient druid site of worship, or so it's believed. No one knows why they built it."

"We should spread out a bit," Pearl said. "Steven, Connie, you two scout around the perimeter. Stay together." Then two kid knights nodded and rushed off. "I hope they'll be alright."

"Have a little faith, Pearls. They'll be fine. They're knights."

"Knights in training," she corrected. "As much skill and experience as they have, they're still only kids."

"Maybe. Kids can surprise you sometimes," her brother said with a smirk.


	4. Chapter 4

"Seems quiet, doesn't it?"

Connie and Steven walked along the base of a hill in search of any sign of Peridot. They'd been looking for half an hour now with no sign of her, but Pearl hadn't wanted to give up so soon. Diamond had put himself on top of one of the stone table structures to wait while Pearl his nearby.

"Yeah, it does," Steven replied, narrowing his eyes conspiratorially. "Maybe too quiet..."

"Cut that out," Connie said with a giggle. "We need to stay focused. Peridot could appear at any second."

Both paused for a moment, glancing about, then relaxed. "That usually works," Steven said as they moved on.

Meanwhile, at the ruins, Pearl crouched behind a stone tablet, spear at the ready as she glanced about. A bird chirped and she whirled toward the sound.

"Relax, Pearls," Diamond said from above. "I doubt she'll whistle when she arrives."

"I know," she responded, sliding down to sit at the base of the structure. "It's just that we've been chasing her for months now. She always barely escapes."

"Well, she won't get away this time," he said. "Not with us working together again."

"We always were an unbeatable team," Pearl smiled. "Even when we weren't fuzed... I've missed that. Being us, I mean."

"Yeah," Diamond agreed. "I've missed it too."

"I really hope she shows up tonight."

They heard steps on grass and both turned towards it, weapons ready.

"It's just us," Steven called, and the Gems relaxed.

"Nothing so far," Connie reported. "We went around the area three times."

"Alright, take a break," Pearl said. "But be ready." The kids nodded and walked off. "How long do you think we should wait?"

"A few more hours, at least,"Diamond replied. "We can send the kids home sooner if you want."

"Connie has a curfew, so that's probably..." She stopped talking as a faint green glow caught her eye. Diamond noticed too, and hopped to a closer table for a better look.

Peridot hobbled up the road slowly, her data terminal hovering before her. She seemed to be favoring her left leg, which confused Diamond until he remembered Garnet's description of the battle in the old Gemship. She looked like she had a fake one hastily attached to get around. He grinned and slunk back.

"It's her," he whispered, and Pearl stood. "She's still a few minutes away and hobbling slowly. I'll get the kids and have them circle behind her. When she's closer, leap out and get her attention. If she tries to fly I'll get her from above. Dogpile and restrain, got it?"

"Got it," Pearl replied, then moved off. Diamond leapt over to where the kids were talking quietly to each other.

"Steven, Connie, time for action."

"Alright, action!"

"Where do you need us," Connie asked as Steven fist pumped. Diamond repeated the plan and they all set off.

Meanwhile, Peridot had remained unaware, and was talking into her logs. Her voice was weary, seeming even to her to be strained from lots of hard travel.

"All old gem nodes in this area are non functional, and with my own extensive damage, I am unable to effect repairs. I can no longer use the teleport pads due to them being compromised. The Crustal Clods have figured out a way to track my movements through the teleport system, resulting in a further hindrance of progress." She sighed sadly and hung her head. "I just want to go home at this point, and hope that the data I've collected so far is sufficient for Yellow Diamond. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that the home world may have written off this world completely by now, and doesn't feel the need to bother with a rescue. Perhaps they assume I'm already dead... It would make sense. What would be the point of sending a rescue ship for one Gem on an abandoned world..."

"You know, this world isn't abandoned." Pearl stepped out from behind a tablet and pointed her spear at Peridot.

"Yeah," Steven yelled as he leapt from hiding, sword and shield ready. Connie leapt out from the other side of the path. "It's fully populated!"

"By us," Connie added.

"Aww geeze," Peridot said, closing down her log. "Not again!" She raised her hand and turned her fingers into rotor blades,spinning them until she lifted off the ground quickly. "I've had just about enough of you!" She gained no more altitude though. Diamond leapt off the Hinge and tackled her to the ground. The impact broke off the faux leg and she tumbled. They rolled until he was on top, her hand pinned by his and a brilliant curved blade at her throat.

"How about now," he asked. She looked up at him in surprise, finding herself straddled by one Gem, and surrounded by another Gem, the half breed, and a human. All had weapons. All were directed at her. Her eyes briefly took it all in, then she slumped with a groan.

"That's it, I'm done. I give up. Poof me and take me away..."

Steven, Connie, and Pearl exchanged glances. "Just like that," Pearl asked. "No threatening us to let you go? No promises of revenge?"

"I've got one good leg and a strong sense of abandonment," Peridot replied wearily. "I'm not gonna run anymore. Not that I could."

The Crystal Gems all looked at one another, then at Peridot. "How do we know this isn't a trick," Diamond asked.

"Uh, hello? I'm surrounded and outgunned. Even if I did have thoughts of escape, how far could I get? I'm not stupid."

"Well, if you're going to surrender willingly, the least we could do is give you back your leg," Steven said.

"Steven," pearl exclaimed. "Then she could escape easier!"

"Not if she promised not to."

"And you'd just believe her if she did?"

Steven frowned, then kneeled next to Peridot. "If we give you back your leg, do you promise not to run away?"

Peridot gaped at him. "How are you the dominant species on this planet with that kind of trust in your enemies?"

"Do we have a deal?"

"Seriously, how did you not destroy yourselves yet?"

"Deal?"

Peridot looked at the others, who watched expectantly. She sighed again and nodded. "Deal."

"Let her up, Diamond."

"Diamond," Peridot asked confused.

"You sure about this, Steven? She is still the enemy."

"I don't think so anymore," the boy replied. "Something tells me she's not against us."

Diamond slowly stood and stepped away from Peridot, who propped herself up on one arm, rubbing her head with the other. "I seriously don't know how humans have survived this long."

"Not all humans are as trusting as Steven," Connie said, then pointed her blade at Peridot. "So know that if you do go back on your word, I will hunt you down myself. I don't share his outlook on people who've tried to take over our planet." The words were spoken with such conviction that all the green gem could do was nod. A hand came into her view, and she looked over to see Steven holding his out to help her up, a friendly smile on his face. Hesitantly, she took it and was pulled into a standing position. He then put his arm around her to steady her.

"Come on. As a show of good faith, I'll help you to the teleport pad."

She stared down at him, then looked away, mumbling some thanks. As they began to move off with Connie following closely, Peridot looked back at Diamond, as if trying to puzzle him out. Following at a distance, the siblings regarded their young comrades.

"You were right," Pearl said. "Those kids surprised me."

"Young knights indeed," Diamond said. "You'd better go back first. Tell Garnet and Amethyst to expect company."

"You'll be alright with them?"

"We'll be fine. Steven's right. She won't give us any trouble."

Peridot shortly found herself in the not too comfy clutches of Garnet while Steven retrieved her leg. It had been an uneventful return, and true to her word, Peridot behaved herself.

Garnet glared at her while holding her cowering form at arms length. "I should shatter you right now for what you've done." Peridot flinched, and Garnet brought her closer slowly. "Forcing shards to fuze without permission. You've violated something more sacred than you could ever realize. It's unforgivable! It's horrendous! Did you even stick around to see what they became?" They were eye to visor now, and Garnet's voice took on a dark, icy tone. "Would you like to find out... personally?"

"Whoa! Garnet! Chill out!" Amethyst somehow wedged herself between the two, forcing them apart, and Peridot fell to the floor hard. The big Gem turned her furious gaze on her companion, but Amethyst held her ground. "She's Steven's prisoner, and he said to not hurt her! She's not going to go anywhere."

Garnet glared down at the purple Gem, then stomped out the door.

"Wow," Pearl said as she helped Peridot to the couch. "When did you get so responsible?"

"Found it," Steven yelled as he and Connie ran into the room holding the missing foot over his head.

"I'm not," Amethyst replied as Peridot started to reattach the foot. "I just think it's Steven's call is all. He trusts her, so why shouldn't we?"

"I could think of a few reasons," Pearl muttered. "But you are right. She made a promise to Steven, and she doesn't seem to be the lying type."

"I'm sitting right here, you know," Peridot complained. "For being the supposed 'good guys', you're pretty rude."

"Eh, don't worry about them," Steven said. "As long as you keep your promise, they won't do anything."

"I'm a Gem of my word," Peridot replied. "I'm not gonna make trouble." Everyone was silent for a bit as she finished fixing herself. "There. Good as new."

"Now that you're back together," Diamond said, "we have some questions."

"Wait, answering questions wasn't part of the deal!"

"I am altering the deal," he replied menacingly. "Pray I don't alter it any further." Peridot nodded weakly. Diamond looked back at Steven and Connie and winked. They both giggled. "What was you mission?"

"This deal is getting worse all the time," Peridot muttered as she leaned back against the couch. "I was sent here to check on a private project under the observation of Yellow Diamond. The project has been underway for several millennia now, and I was to gauge it's progress. Afterward I was to report my findings and await instructions."

"I assume you completed your tasks," Diamond stated.

"All but the last," Peridot replied. "I had planned to use the old systems in the Gem ship to complete my mission. Of course, you showed up and put an end to all that."

"What about after," Amethyst asked.

"My mission being complete enough to call it a partial success, I tried to call for a rescue. I assume you were responsible for that being stopped too." Pearl looked away sadly, remembering the fiasco that had caused. "After that I hid for a while and thought up a plan to get you out of the way so I could await extraction. The weeks that followed... Well, I didn't get anything of value done." Her expression changed, and she stared into her lap. "I was depressed and angry... and just tired of being here. Eventually, I would have just stopped trying. That's when you caught me. And here we are."

"What was the project you were looking in on," Steven asked.

Peridot hesitated for an instant, but sighed reluctantly. "It's called Project Cluster. I don't know the details of what it does, but up until now it's been in its growth stage."

"And it's progress?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because it's for Yellow Diamond only," Peridot replied, shooting the boy a look. "It's her project, and no one but a diamond can hear that information. Even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn't. It's sealed. Only a diamond can open the file."

"And you just happen to not remember what you found," Pearl scoffed.

"I wasn't sent to remember. The data wasn't anything to me, I simply recorded it."

"Then we're in luck," Garnet said, re-entering the house and putting a hand on Diamond's shoulder. "We have a diamond gem right here."

The green and yellow gem blinked, looking up at the male standing over her. Slowly a look of recognition came over her and she kept to her feet. "You mean… y-you're…"

"Pure Diamond," he said with a bow. "Renegade and traitor to the Diamond council and defender of the Planet Earth. At your service."

 **Authors Note: I am so sorry this took so long. I thought I'd posted it months ago. I promise the next one won't be so long in between**.


End file.
